Comments on: A Week-In-The-Life of Dave: The Longest Way Home

By: The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:06:29 +0000

Thanks for your comments guys. I have to admit even now, in hindsight, it’s still one of those things that I 100% have no regrets over.

To see someone’s face (Tibetan) and see nothing but fear over who will come knocking at the door based on CCTV or TV coverage is quite an experience. It certainly brings a lot of reality into one’s own life too.

A lot of Tibetans (men) all wear similar clothes, grays and browns. So even those who were inside during all this still had this terrified look on there faces. As whole families were being questioned, and taken away.

It certainly was an experience in so many ways that lives on in so many ways.

Safe travels

Dave

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:53:54 +0000

Wow. Great story. Tough moral decision you faced, and in the end it sounds like you did the right thing. Karma works both ways, and you will get that money offered to you again in better circumstances I am sure.

By: Dave and Deb

Dave and Deb — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:57:25 +0000

Good for you for not selling your photo’s. The people that sold them will have to live with the guilt of what they had done for the rest of their lives. You had a tough decision. Money can be very tempting, but in the end you made the right choice. You should be proud of yourself. What an ordeal, you are very lucky to have made it out safely.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:42:41 +0000

I was 3 days away from leaving Chengdu for Lhasa on the train when the riots turned violent, China closed the border to foreigners, and my plans were dashed. In the days before I lost my chance, a British journalist from Beijing had contacted me about being an informant once inside Tibet, but I too was concerned about getting the local Tibetans in trouble – I’d heard the people offering internet access get questioned/fined/or worse if foreigners are sending “inappropriate” communications. The journalist seemed to play off the risk to Tibetans.

In the end, I remained in Chengdu during this historic time, which was close enough to see/feel the Chinese reaction, but not close enough to get some truly historic photos.

If I were offered thousands of dollars for photos and video, I’d like to think I too would refuse, but it certainly wouldn’t be without some serious thought. After all, it is not just about the money, it is about getting images of the reality on the ground out to worldwide news outlets so people know what is happening.